Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six counties: Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast. Almost half of the country's population lives under the poverty line.
Approx 36% of children in Burkina Faso suffer from stunted growth, malaria, respiratory infection and diarrhoea. The country currently holds the highest infant mortality rate of all of Compassion's field countries, with approx 82 infants dying for every 1,000 born.
Schooling costs about $95 per year which is far more than most families can afford. Boys receive preference in schooling; therefore girls' education and literacy rates are low. The government recognises this and has implemented a policy to make schooling cheaper for girls and is granting scholarships. According to UNICEF, only 81% of students reach the fifth grade. Only about 28% of the entire population is literate.
Issues children in Burkina Faso face:
- Malnutrition
- Illiteracy
- Exploitation / Child Labor
- High Infant Mortality
- Stunted Growth
- Malaria
- Respiratory Illnesses
- Diarrhoea
- Typhoid
- Fevers / Coughs
- Pneumonia
- HIV / AIDS (approx 130,000 people suffer)
Some examples of what a monetary gift can buy in for your sponsor child in Burkina Faso:
$10 and under: bucket, chicken, ball, bench, doll, lamp, pants, shirt, table
$20 and under: blanket, books / dictionary, shoes, toys
$40 and under: clothes, maize (bag), rice (bag), tools
Some examples of what a monetary gift can buy for your sponsor child's family:
$85 and under: bike, mattress
Income generating items:
$85 and under: donkey, goat, plow for farming
$150 and under: water barrel on trailer
$250 and under: cow, sewing machine
$300 and under: cart pulled by a donkey
Compassion International began working in Burkina Faso is 2004. Over 19,00 children participate in around 93 child development centres. Compassion Australia assists over 1,900 of these children.
To sponsor a child in Burkina Faso click here
